Christmas Tree Lights Calculator

Enter your tree height and pick a look to see roughly how many lights, light strings, ornaments and feet of garland your Christmas tree needs. The numbers use common decorating rules of thumb, so adjust to taste.

Quick reference (standard look)

Tips

• Test every string before it goes on the tree.
• Wrap branches, not just the outside: weaving lights in toward the trunk gives depth.
• Check the packaging for how many strings can be connected end to end.
• Lights first, then garland, then ornaments.

FAQ

How many lights do I need for a Christmas tree?

A common rule of thumb is about 100 lights per foot of tree height for a standard look, so a 7 ft tree needs around 700 lights. Use about half that for a subtle look and 150 to 200 per foot for a bright, heavily lit tree.

How many strings of lights do I need?

Divide the number of lights by the lights per string and round up. 700 lights on 100-light strings is 7 strings.

How many ornaments for a 7 ft tree?

A typical guideline is about 10 ornaments per foot, so around 70 ornaments for a 7 ft tree, more for a full, decorated look.

See also: Christmas tree size calculator · Gift budget calculator · Cookie exchange calculator · Christmas dinner calculator · Christmas countdown · All holiday dates · all tools